2019 Big 12 College Football Preseason Rankings: Oklahoma the Team to Beat

2019 Big 12 College Football Preseason Rankings – Oklahoma the Team to Beat: The Big 12 conference has been synonymous with high-powered, high-scoring offenses the last several years, but when it comes to the conference championship picture, it has been the Oklahoma Sooners and everyone else. Make not mistake about it. The Sooners aren’t going away any time soon, but several worthy challengers are starting to emerge. Heading into the 2019 College Football season, the Big 12 appears to be as deep as it has been in several years. Also, be sure and check out our complete 2019 Big 12 Football predictions for projected record and finish of each team.

2019 Big 12 College Football Preseason Rankings: Oklahoma the Team to Beat

1. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners have won the Big 12 title in each of the last four seasons, making the College Football Playoff in back-to-back years. Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray have won the Heisman Trophy along the way, and this season, Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts will get a turn to run an offense that should again be one of the most prolific in the country. What’s even scarier is that Oklahoma also returns eight starters on defense in 2019, so the Sooners’ biggest weakness in recent years could become a strength. The offensive line is probably the lone question mark, and while rivals Texas and Oklahoma State always loom large, the Sooners once again look the frontrunners to win the conference title and compete for a national championship.

2. Texas Longhorns

A non-conference showdown with LSU early in the year could determine their College Football Playoff chances, regardless of how that game turns out, the Longhorns should be in the thick of the Big 12 title conversation. Heisman hopeful Sam Ehlinger is back under center for the most talented Texas team since the Mack Brown era. Last year, the Longhorns were able to knock off Oklahoma in the regular season before losing a rematch in the conference title game, but they still went on to beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. There is a good chance that this season once again comes down to a couple of matchups with the Sooners.

3. Iowa State Cyclones

In a conference known for slinging the ball all over the field and ridiculously high-scoring shootouts, the Cyclones are one of the few teams that can rely on their defense to win. There are 16 starters back from a group that went 8-5 last season, and this year’s group should be the best Iowa State team in some time. Getting TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas at home will only help their chances of putting together a big season, and the path is there for the Cyclones to reach the Big 12 title game and compete for the conference crown.

4. TCU Horned Frogs

TCU always seems to have one of the more consistent defenses in the Big 12, and that shouldn’t change in 2019. On the offensive side of the ball, receiver Jalen Reagor and running back Sewo Olonilua lead a unit that returns seven starters from a year ago. A more balanced Horned Frogs squad will have a much better chance of competing for the conference crown, but a schedule that includes road games against Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma still creates an uphill battle.

5. Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Cowboys were one of the toughest teams to predict last year, and while they were able to knock off a couple of teams ranked in the top 10 in West Virginia and Texas and hang within one point of Oklahoma on the road, they also had head-scratching, blowout losses to Texas Tech and Kansas State. A little more experience could help with that uneven play, and Oklahoma State welcomes back four starters along the offensive line, along with one of the best receivers in the country in Tylan Wallace. Meanwhile, Chuba Hubbard is set to star in the backfield after running for 740 yards as a backup last year. The Cowboys are going to put up a bunch of points, and they should have a puncher’s chance against any team in the Big 12.

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